{{tnr}}'''James Austin Scott''' (b. December 10, 1969, in Augusta, Georgia) is a [[Republican]] member of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]]. Scott was elected by voters from [[Georgia's 8th Congressional District]]. He was first elected to the [[U.S. House]] in 2010. He was re-elected on November 6, 2012.<ref>[http://www.politico.com/2012-election/map/#/House/2012/ ''Politico'', "2012 House Race Results," November 6, 2012]</ref>

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{{tnr}}'''James Austin Scott''' (b. December 10, 1969, in Augusta, Georgia) is a [[Republican]] member of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]]. Scott was elected by voters from [[Georgia's 8th Congressional District]]. He was first elected to the [[U.S. House]] in 2010. He was re-elected on November 6, 2012.<ref>[http://www.politico.com/2012-election/map/#/House/2012/ ''Politico'', "2012 House Race Results," accessed November 6, 2012]</ref>

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He previously represented District 153 of the [[Georgia House of Representatives]] from 2005 to 2011, District 138 of the [[Georgia House of Representatives]] from 2003 to 2005 and District 165 of the [[Georgia House of Representatives]] from 1996 to 2003.<ref>[http://austinscott.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4214&Itemid=300157 ''U.S. House'' "Austin Scott" accessed June 13, 2013]</ref>

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He previously represented District 153 of the [[Georgia House of Representatives]] from 2005 to 2011, District 138 of the [[Georgia House of Representatives]] from 2003 to 2005 and District 165 of the [[Georgia House of Representatives]] from 1996 to 2003.<ref>[http://austinscott.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4214&Itemid=300157 ''U.S. House'', "Austin Scott," accessed June 13, 2013]</ref>

He is set to run for [[U.S. Congress elections, 2014|re-election]] to the [[U.S. House elections, 2014|U.S. House]] in 2014. If he runs, he will seek the Republican nomination in the primary election. {{Nov2014genelection}}

He is set to run for [[U.S. Congress elections, 2014|re-election]] to the [[U.S. House elections, 2014|U.S. House]] in 2014. If he runs, he will seek the Republican nomination in the primary election. {{Nov2014genelection}}

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==Biography==

==Biography==

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Scott graduated from the University of [[Georgia]] with a B.B.A. in Risk Management and Insurance.<ref> [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S001189 ''SCOTT, Austin'' "Biographical Information" accessed October 25, 2011] </ref>

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Scott graduated from the University of [[Georgia]] with a B.B.A. in Risk Management and Insurance.<ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S001189 ''SCOTT, Austin'', "Biographical Information," accessed October 25, 2011]</ref>

==Career==

==Career==

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====2011-2012====

====2011-2012====

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Scott served on the following committees:<ref name="committees">[http://austinscott.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4226&Itemid=300158 ''Congressman Austin Scott:Representing the 8th District of Georgia'' "Committees and Caucuses" accessed October 25, 2011] </ref>

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Scott served on the following committees:<ref name="committees">[http://austinscott.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4226&Itemid=300158 ''Congressman Austin Scott:Representing the 8th District of Georgia'', "Committees and Caucuses," accessed October 25, 2011] </ref>

*[[United States House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture|Agriculture Committee]]

*[[United States House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture|Agriculture Committee]]

Scott, who serves on the [[United States House of Representatives Committee on Armed Services|Armed Services Committee]], said on September 3, 2013, "In this situation, we must proceed with extreme caution. While I’m concerned with the use of chemical weapons and deeply troubled by the attacks against innocent civilians in Syria, we must have an thoughtful debate over merits, goals and consequences of U.S. military involvement in that country."<ref>[http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/political-insider/2013/sep/04/daily-jolt-dont-assume-isaksons-support-syria-stri/ ''AJC.com,'' "Daily Jolt: Don't assume Isakson's support for Syria strike is a sure thing," accessed Septemeber 5, 2013]</ref>

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Scott, who serves on the [[United States House of Representatives Committee on Armed Services|Armed Services Committee]], said on September 3, 2013, "In this situation, we must proceed with extreme caution. While I’m concerned with the use of chemical weapons and deeply troubled by the attacks against innocent civilians in Syria, we must have an thoughtful debate over merits, goals and consequences of U.S. military involvement in that country."<ref>[http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/political-insider/2013/sep/04/daily-jolt-dont-assume-isaksons-support-syria-stri/ ''Atlanta Journal Constitution'', "Daily Jolt: Don't assume Isakson's support for Syria strike is a sure thing," accessed Septemeber 5, 2013]</ref>

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In a town hall meeting on September 4, 2013, Scott also told constituents he does not plan to support the resolution authorizing U.S. military strikes in Syria.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/2013/09/05/219177442/rep-scott-tired-of-the-u-s-getting-involved-in-others-disputes?ft=1&f=1014 ''NPR.org,'' "Rep. Scott: Tired Of U.S. Getting Involved World's Disputes," accessed September 5, 2013]</ref> In the meeting he said, "Here's what I'll tell you. I'm tired of the U.S. getting involved in every country's individual disputes. As sad as what happened is, I do not intend to support the resolution. The reason I'm hesitant there is I would ask you to give me a little bit of leeway, in that if we have intelligence that shows those chemical weapons being transferred to Hamas, where they could potentially be used against Israel, then I would be in favor of destroying those weapons."<ref>[http://www.npr.org/2013/09/05/219177442/rep-scott-tired-of-the-u-s-getting-involved-in-others-disputes?ft=1&f=1014 ''NPR,'' "Rep. Scott: Tired Of U.S. Getting Involved World's Disputes," accessed September 5, 2013]</ref>

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In a town hall meeting on September 4, 2013, Scott also told constituents he does not plan to support the resolution authorizing U.S. military strikes in Syria.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/2013/09/05/219177442/rep-scott-tired-of-the-u-s-getting-involved-in-others-disputes?ft=1&f=1014 ''NPR'', "Rep. Scott: Tired Of U.S. Getting Involved World's Disputes," accessed September 5, 2013]</ref> In the meeting he said, "Here's what I'll tell you. I'm tired of the U.S. getting involved in every country's individual disputes. As sad as what happened is, I do not intend to support the resolution. The reason I'm hesitant there is I would ask you to give me a little bit of leeway, in that if we have intelligence that shows those chemical weapons being transferred to Hamas, where they could potentially be used against Israel, then I would be in favor of destroying those weapons."<ref>[http://www.npr.org/2013/09/05/219177442/rep-scott-tired-of-the-u-s-getting-involved-in-others-disputes?ft=1&f=1014 ''NPR'', "Rep. Scott: Tired Of U.S. Getting Involved World's Disputes," accessed September 5, 2013]</ref>

=====DHS Appropriations=====

=====DHS Appropriations=====

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{{Support vote}} Scott voted in favor of HR 2217 - the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines.<ref name="votes">[http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/11812/austin-scott#.Ukm2K3_B_A4 ''Project Votesmart'', "Austin Scott Key Votes," accessed September 30, 2013]</ref>

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{{Support vote}} Scott voted in favor of HR 2217 - the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines.<ref name="votes">[http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/11812/austin-scott#.Ukm2K3_B_A4 ''Project Vote Smart'', "Austin Scott Key Votes," accessed September 30, 2013]</ref>

=====Keystone Pipeline Amendment=====

=====Keystone Pipeline Amendment=====

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{{Support vote}} On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll504.xml ''Clerk of the U.S. House'', "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013]</ref> At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. [[Harry Reid]] rejected the call to conference.<ref>[http://www.buzzfeed.com/katenocera/government-shutdown-how-we-got-here?bffb ''Buzzfeed'', "Government Shutdown: How We Got Here," accessed October 1, 2013]</ref> Scott voted to approve the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll504.xml ''Clerk of the U.S. House'', "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013]</ref>

{{Support vote}} On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll504.xml ''Clerk of the U.S. House'', "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013]</ref> At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. [[Harry Reid]] rejected the call to conference.<ref>[http://www.buzzfeed.com/katenocera/government-shutdown-how-we-got-here?bffb ''Buzzfeed'', "Government Shutdown: How We Got Here," accessed October 1, 2013]</ref> Scott voted to approve the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll504.xml ''Clerk of the U.S. House'', "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013]</ref>

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{{Oppose vote}} The shutdown finally ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the [[United States Senate|Senate]]. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funds the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by [[United States Senate|Senate Democrats]] was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-effort-to-end-fiscal-crisis-collapses-leaving-senate-to-forge-last-minute-solution/2013/10/16/1e8bb150-364d-11e3-be86-6aeaa439845b_story_1.html ''The Washington Post'', "Reid, McConnell propose bipartisan Senate bill to end shutdown, extend borrowing," accessed October 16, 2013]</ref> The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from [[Republican]] members. Scott voted against HR 2775.<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll550.xml ''U.S. House,'' "Final vote results for Roll Call 550," accessed October 31, 2013]</ref>

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{{Oppose vote}} The shutdown finally ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the [[United States Senate|Senate]]. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by [[United States Senate|Senate Democrats]] was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-effort-to-end-fiscal-crisis-collapses-leaving-senate-to-forge-last-minute-solution/2013/10/16/1e8bb150-364d-11e3-be86-6aeaa439845b_story_1.html ''The Washington Post'', "Reid, McConnell propose bipartisan Senate bill to end shutdown, extend borrowing," accessed October 16, 2013]</ref> The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from [[Republican]] members. Scott voted against HR 2775.<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll550.xml ''U.S. House'', "Final vote results for Roll Call 550," accessed October 31, 2013]</ref>

Scott ran in the [[U.S. Congress elections, 2012|2012 election]] for the [[U.S. House elections, 2012|U.S. House]] to represent [[United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia, 2012|Georgia's]] [[Georgia's 8th Congressional District elections, 2012|8th District]]. Scott sought re-election on the [[Republican]] ticket. The [[Signature requirements and deadlines for 2012 U.S. Congress elections|signature filing deadline]] was May 25, 2012, and the primary took place on July 31, 2012. Scott ran unopposed in the Republican primary. He also ran unopposed in the general election on November 6, 2012.

Scott ran in the [[U.S. Congress elections, 2012|2012 election]] for the [[U.S. House elections, 2012|U.S. House]] to represent [[United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia, 2012|Georgia's]] [[Georgia's 8th Congressional District elections, 2012|8th District]]. Scott sought re-election on the [[Republican]] ticket. The [[Signature requirements and deadlines for 2012 U.S. Congress elections|signature filing deadline]] was May 25, 2012, and the primary took place on July 31, 2012. Scott ran unopposed in the Republican primary. He also ran unopposed in the general election on November 6, 2012.

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In 2011 redistricting, [http://thehill.com/ The Hill] published a list of the [http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/179503-the-10-house-members-most-helped-by-redistricting Top Ten House Members] who were helped by [[Redistricting in Indiana|redistricting]].<ref name="hill">[http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/179503-the-10-house-members-most-helped-by-redistricting ''The Hill'' "House members most helped by redistricting" accessed April 17, 2012]</ref> Scott ranked 5th on the list, and neighboring incumbent [[Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.]] ranked 4th on the list.<ref name="hill"/> The article notes that in the [[Redistricting in Georgia|redistricting process]], controlled by a [[Republican]] legislature, many African Americans voters were moved from Scott's [[Georgia's 8th Congressional District| district]] into [[Sanford Bishop|Bishop's]][[Georgia's 2nd Congressional District|2nd Congressional District]], giving Scott a safe [[Republican]] seat, and inadvertently giving [[Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.|Bishop]] a [[Democratic]] boost as well.<ref name="hill"/>

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In 2011 redistricting, [http://thehill.com/ The Hill] published a list of the [http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/179503-the-10-house-members-most-helped-by-redistricting Top Ten House Members] who were helped by [[Redistricting in Indiana|redistricting]].<ref name="hill">[http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/179503-the-10-house-members-most-helped-by-redistricting ''The Hill'', "House members most helped by redistricting," accessed April 17, 2012]</ref> Scott ranked 5th on the list, and neighboring incumbent [[Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.]] ranked 4th on the list.<ref name="hill"/> The article noted that in the [[Redistricting in Georgia|redistricting process]], controlled by a [[Republican]] legislature, many African Americans voters were moved from Scott's [[Georgia's 8th Congressional District| district]] into [[Sanford Bishop|Bishop's]][[Georgia's 2nd Congressional District|2nd Congressional District]], giving Scott a safe [[Republican]] seat, and inadvertently giving [[Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.|Bishop]] a [[Democratic]] boost as well.<ref name="hill"/>

[[File:Austin Scott 2012 Donor Breakdown.PNG|right|375px|thumb|Breakdown of the source of Scott's campaign funds before the 2012 election.]]

[[File:Austin Scott 2012 Donor Breakdown.PNG|right|375px|thumb|Breakdown of the source of Scott's campaign funds before the 2012 election.]]

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Scott won re-election to the [[U.S. House]] in 2012. During that election cycle, Scott's campaign committee raised a total of $1,114,640 and spent $761,854.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00032457&cycle=2012 ''Open Secrets'', "Austin Scott 2012 Election Cycle," accessed February 20, 2013]</ref> This is less than the average $1.5 million spent by House winners in 2012.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2013/06/2012-overview.html ''Open Secrets,'' "Election 2012: The Big Picture Shows Record Cost of Winning a Seat in Congress," June 19, 2013]</ref>

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Scott won re-election to the [[U.S. House]] in 2012. During that election cycle, Scott's campaign committee raised a total of $1,114,640 and spent $761,854.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00032457&cycle=2012 ''Open Secrets'', "Austin Scott 2012 Election Cycle," accessed February 20, 2013]</ref> This is less than the average $1.5 million spent by House winners in 2012.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2013/06/2012-overview.html ''Open Secrets'', "Election 2012: The Big Picture Shows Record Cost of Winning a Seat in Congress," accessed June 19, 2013]</ref>

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by ''GovTrack'', Scott is a "[[GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking|rank-and-file Republican]]," as of June 13, 2013.<ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/austin_scott/412417 ''GovTrack'', "Austin Scott" accessed June 13, 2013]</ref>

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Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by ''GovTrack'', Scott is a "[[GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking|rank-and-file Republican]]," as of June 13, 2013.<ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/austin_scott/412417 ''GovTrack'', "Austin Scott," accessed June 13, 2013]</ref>

===Like-minded colleagues===

===Like-minded colleagues===

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The website ''OpenCongress'' tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.<ref>[http://www.opencongress.org/people/show/412417_Austin_Scott ''OpenCongress,'' "Rep. Austin Scott," accessed August 1, 2013]</ref>

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The website ''OpenCongress'' tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.<ref>[http://www.opencongress.org/people/show/412417_Austin_Scott ''OpenCongress'', "Rep. Austin Scott," accessed August 1, 2013]</ref>

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===Lifetime voting record===

===Lifetime voting record===

::''See also: [[Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives]]''

::''See also: [[Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives]]''

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According to the website ''GovTrack,'' Scott missed 20 of 1,695 roll call votes from January 2011 to March 2013. This amounts to 1.2%, which is better than the median of 2.2% among current congressional representatives as of March 2013.<ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/austin_scott/412417 ''GovTrack,'' "Austin Scott," accessed March 29, 2013]</ref>

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According to the website ''GovTrack,'' Scott missed 20 of 1,695 roll call votes from January 2011 to March 2013. This amounts to 1.2%, which is better than the median of 2.2% among current congressional representatives as of March 2013.<ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/austin_scott/412417 ''GovTrack'', "Austin Scott," accessed March 29, 2013]</ref>

===Congressional staff salaries===

===Congressional staff salaries===

::''See also: [[Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives]]''

::''See also: [[Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives]]''

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The website ''Legistorm'' compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Scott paid his congressional staff a total of $753,382 in 2011. He ranks 28th on the list of the lowest paid Republican representative staff salaries and ranks 30th overall of the lowest paid representative staff salaries in 2011. Overall, [[Georgia]] ranks 24th in average salary for representative staff. The average [[U.S. House of Representatives]] congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.<ref>[http://www.legistorm.com/member/2745/Rep_Austin_Scott.html ''LegiStorm'', "Austin Scott"]</ref>

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The website ''Legistorm'' compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Scott paid his congressional staff a total of $753,382 in 2011. He ranks 28th on the list of the lowest paid Republican representative staff salaries and ranks 30th overall of the lowest paid representative staff salaries in 2011. Overall, [[Georgia]] ranks 24th in average salary for representative staff. The average [[U.S. House of Representatives]] congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.<ref>[http://www.legistorm.com/member/2745/Rep_Austin_Scott.html ''LegiStorm'', "Austin Scott," accessed 2012]</ref>

===Net worth===

===Net worth===

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:: ''See also: [[Net Worth of United States Senators and Representatives]]''

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:: ''See also: [[Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives]]''

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Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by ''OpenSecrets.org'', Scott's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $739,758 and $3,211,724 . That averages to '''$1,975,741''', which is lower than the average net worth of Republican representatives in 2012 of $6,956,438.47. Scott ranked as the 149th most wealthy representative in 2012.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00032457&year=2012 ''OpenSecrets.org'', "Scott, (R-GA), 2012," accessed February 18, 2014]</ref>

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Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by ''OpenSecrets.org'', Scott's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $739,758 and $3,211,724 . That averages to '''$1,975,741''', which is lower than the average net worth of Republican representatives in 2012 of $6,956,438.47. Scott ranked as the 149th most wealthy representative in 2012.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00032457&year=2012 ''OpenSecrets'', "Scott, (R-GA), 2012," accessed February 18, 2014]</ref>

Scott lives in Tifton, [[Georgia]], with his wife, Vivien. They have a son, Wells.<ref> [http://austinscott.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4214&Itemid=300157 ''Austin Scott: Representing the 8th District of Georgia'' "Biography" accessed October 25, 2011] </ref>

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Scott lives in Tifton, [[Georgia]], with his wife, Vivien. They have a son, Wells.<ref>[http://austinscott.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4214&Itemid=300157 ''Austin Scott: Representing the 8th District of Georgia'', "Biography," accessed October 25, 2011]</ref>

Issues

Legislative actions

113th Congress

The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 114 out of the 3,036 introduced bills (3.8 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.[6] For more information pertaining to Scott's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.[7]

National security

American response in Syria

Scott, who serves on the Armed Services Committee, said on September 3, 2013, "In this situation, we must proceed with extreme caution. While I’m concerned with the use of chemical weapons and deeply troubled by the attacks against innocent civilians in Syria, we must have an thoughtful debate over merits, goals and consequences of U.S. military involvement in that country."[8]

In a town hall meeting on September 4, 2013, Scott also told constituents he does not plan to support the resolution authorizing U.S. military strikes in Syria.[9] In the meeting he said, "Here's what I'll tell you. I'm tired of the U.S. getting involved in every country's individual disputes. As sad as what happened is, I do not intend to support the resolution. The reason I'm hesitant there is I would ask you to give me a little bit of leeway, in that if we have intelligence that shows those chemical weapons being transferred to Hamas, where they could potentially be used against Israel, then I would be in favor of destroying those weapons."[10]

DHS Appropriations

Scott voted in favor of HR 2217 - the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines.[11]

Keystone Pipeline Amendment

Scott voted against House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines.[11]

CISPA (2013)

Scott voted in favor of HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill would allow federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities.[12] The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party.[11]

NDAA

Scott voted in support of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.[11]

Economy

Farm bill

On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill.[13] The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop.[14][15] However, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states.[15] Scott voted with 161 other Republicanrepresentatives in favor of the bill.

2014 Budget

On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014.[16][17] The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582 page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill.[17] The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations.[18] It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency and protected the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Scott joined with the 63 other Republicans and 3 Democrats who voted against the bill.[16][17]

Government shutdown

On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.[19] At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference.[20] Scott voted to approve the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.[21]

The shutdown finally ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.[22] The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Scott voted against HR 2775.[23]

Immigration

Morton Memos Prohibition

Scott voted in favor of House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain illegal aliens residing in the United States. The vote largely followed party lines.[11]

Healthcare

Healthcare Reform Rules

Scott voted in favor of House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines.[11]

Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act

Scott voted in favor of HR 2009 - Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act of 2013. The bill passed through the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 232-185. The bill would prevent the IRS and Treasury Secretary from enforcing the powers provided to them in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The vote largely followed party lines.[11]

Social issues

Amash amendment

Scott voted against House Amendment 413 - Prohibits the National Security Agency from Collecting Records Under the Patriot Act. The amendment failed on July 4, 2013, by a vote of 205-217. The amendment would have prohibited the collection of records by the National Security Agency under the Patriot Act. Both parties were split on the vote.[11]

Previous congressional sessions

Fiscal Cliff

Scott voted against the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was 1 of 151 Republicans that voted against the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.[24]

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for Austin Scott, click [show] to expand the section.

2010

On November 2, 2010, Austin Scott won election to the United States House. He defeated Jim Marshall (D) in the general election.[27]

U.S. House, Georgia District 8 General Election, 2010

Party

Candidate

Vote %

Votes

Republican

Austin Scott

52.7%

102,770

Democratic

Jim Marshall

47.3%

92,250

Total Votes

195,020

Campaign donors

Comprehensive donor information for Scott is available dating back to 2010. Based on available campaign finance records, Scott raised a total of $2,181,940 during that time period. This information was last updated on April 5, 2013.[28]

2012

Breakdown of the source of Scott's campaign funds before the 2012 election.

Scott won re-election to the U.S. House in 2012. During that election cycle, Scott's campaign committee raised a total of $1,114,640 and spent $761,854.[37] This is less than the average $1.5 million spent by House winners in 2012.[38]

Lifetime voting record

According to the website GovTrack, Scott missed 20 of 1,695 roll call votes from January 2011 to March 2013. This amounts to 1.2%, which is better than the median of 2.2% among current congressional representatives as of March 2013.[42]

Congressional staff salaries

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Scott paid his congressional staff a total of $753,382 in 2011. He ranks 28th on the list of the lowest paid Republican representative staff salaries and ranks 30th overall of the lowest paid representative staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Georgia ranks 24th in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.[43]

Net worth

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Scott's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $739,758 and $3,211,724 . That averages to $1,975,741, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican representatives in 2012 of $6,956,438.47. Scott ranked as the 149th most wealthy representative in 2012.[44]

Austin Scott Yearly Net Worth

Year

Average Net Worth

2012

$1,975,741

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.